No Going Back
by XDarkDesiresX
Summary: After "Taken" Sookie goes home to mull over her options but is in for an unpleasant surprise. Once again, it will be a smut-fest! But there will be more story this time! I hope it doesn't disappoint, thank you all for the reviews!
1. Kinda I Want To

The sun was out, and Sookie shielded her eyes from the glare of its rays as she slowly pushed open the heavy metal Fangtasia door with her other hand. The parking lot was deserted...and the sounds of birds chirping and wind rustling the leaves of a few towering trees in the distance were the only things breaking a serene silence. Though it was a bit eerie, she was thankful for the lack of other humans, as she was not particularly fond of her current ensemble. The prior nights events had decimated what little clothing she had on, and she now had to wear a baggy black wifebeater and some very tacky wet-look pleather pants, belonging to Eric and Pam respectively. Erics fiery red Corvette was parked sideways in front of the trail of well worn down entryway carpet, and a rather neatly written note was stuck upon the driver-side door.

"_I will be waiting for my invitation inside tonight..._

_inside of your home of course._

_Din älskare, _

_Eric._"

She couldn't help but smirk, as the tiny butterflies of anticipation fluttered through her. Eric hadn't been formally invited into her house, but she knew she would not be able to resist his request now. Besides, she could always rescind her invitation if things got too heated...

_...Right?_

She sighed and went to put the note inside of her pocket, but found Pams skin-tight pants weren't exactly made with storage in mind. She slid the note between the top seam of the pants and the skin of her hip, trapping it there snuggly. Sucking in a calming breath, she noticed that the air smelled sweeter today, and the feel of the cool breeze brushing her skin was somehow new and exciting. No doubt about it, it was that giddy, almost intoxicated feel of new love and new possibilities. Sookie was undeniably intrigued by the idea of being with Eric, but part of her was still confused and fearful. It was all so sudden and foreign, ambushed by his seduction she had barely any time to fully comprehend her new situation.

_I have the whole car ride home to think about this...I better get moving..._

Peering over the open top of the car she saw the glimmer of keys ,dangling from the ignition. Gingerly she opened up the unlocked door and sat inside.

_Wow...never driven a car this nice..._

She winced for a second as her butt hit the soft black velour covered seat, she was still somewhat sore from her "punishment". The little reminder sent a shiver up her spine, yes it was demeaning, embarrassing, painful...but it was also sensual and gratifying in a kinky sort of way. Sookie had always envisioned herself as an old-fashioned sort of girl, "vanilla" I guess you would say, and her few sexual experiences had all been within the realm of the conventional.

Most would label it "intercourse" rather then "fucking".

Being with Eric awoke a small part of her that she had no idea was hiding within the recesses of her psyche. She suddenly pictured herself as a dominatrix, dressed to kill in leather and chains, standing before a groveling man with a whip in her gloved hand. She'd say something like,

"**Your Mistress wants you to Bark like a dog!**...well, as long as you want to that is..dont feel like you have to"

Her country-girl manners didn't quite fit the fantasy and she could not stop the laughter from rolling out of her as she shook her head to disperse the image.

Eagerly she twisted the key to start the car. As she felt the rumble of the engine kick on, the radio began to blare a heavy pounding song from a CD already in the player. The guitar was aggressive and electronic, the vocals were dark and moody. The lyrics spoke to her with an odd and almost voyeuristic insight into her feelings on the night past...

_"I can't shake this feeling from my head.__  
__there's a devil sleeping in my bed.__  
__watching you from across the way.__  
__I cannot make this feeling go away___

_I know it's not the right thing.__  
__and I know it's not the good thing.__  
__but _**_kinda I want to_**_.___

_I'm not sure of what I should do.__  
__when every thought I'm thinking of is you.__  
__all of my excuses turn to lies.__  
__maybe God will cover up his eyes..."_

She blushed and turned the volume dial down, she didn't listen to that kind of music. It most certainly reminded her of Eric though, and she kept it playing softly as she pulled the shining red car out of the dusty back road parking lot and headed back home. The wind blew her golden hair behind her and she raked her fingers down her neck, stopping at the soft and healed over fang marks, circling them with her fingers and reminiscing the feel of his warm mouth engulfing her flesh.

Eric was currently resting in his private quarters, by the time their escapade had reached its climax (literally) it was almost dawn. Their encounter now felt like a dream, parts of it hazy and blurred together. Thinking back to certain bits and pieces gave her body a pulse of pleasure through her memory of the sensations. Her supernatural side was able to make her recollections more vivid and real then those of normal people.

_Sometimes having my "gift" isn't an entirely bad thing..._

She bit her lip, eyes beginning to smolder. He may be an ancient and powerful vampire, but she had the feeling she could wrap his giant body around her little finger if she really wanted to. Though with how much of a turn on it was when he was ordering her to do nasty things, perhaps she didn't want to tame him...

Suddenly her stomach sank as the numbers representing the time caught her eye on the dashboard.

"That cant be...6:00?"

Her voice cracked as she felt her fingers tighten around the steering wheel. Taking in an audible gulp, she tried to sort through the many thoughts now competing for front and center in her mind. Being up all night with Eric must have exhausted her, she had never slept through an entire day... Fangtasia was easily a 2 hour drive from home and it was getting dark out earlier and earlier, if she was lucky she would be home by dusk...but tonight is the night of Bills return home from "business".

_Gotta get there fast and change...clean up the house...think up a story..._**_shower_**_..._

"Oh God, please forgive me!"

She had no plan of what she was going to do when Bill arrived back. The intensity of her night had consumed her every thought until now. Eric was beautiful, powerful, charming (in a naughty way) and had just professed his feelings for her. As much feelings as a man like Eric could have anyway. Visits to Fangtasia before were usually brief and impersonal, now that she really though about it, she didn't know Eric all that well at all. The blood bond had given her glimpses into his thoughts, his emotions, but his true intentions and his long and probably sordid past were still quite the mystery. Yet even with such enormous gaps in her knowledge of him, She could not deny that shel felt at home nestled between his arms last night. It was like they were two souls reconnecting after being apart for an eternity. Bodies that fit together like 2 peices of a perfect puzzle, reigniting a spark and setting loose a fire that burned within them both. And who could forget the sex? It was mind-blowing, life-altering...

...but Bill was still her first love.

He was sweet, a true gentleman and a great provider. He was loving and treated her with great respect, although he may have been even too protective at times. His distance lately had been putting a strain on their relationship, she had a feeling in her gut he was deceiving her about something. However that was only an unproven theory and it couldn't stop the horrific pangs of guilt that now began to chew at her.

"Oh...what did I do?"

She felt her eyes well up with tears, and she wiped her cheeks while keeping one hand on the steering wheel. Eric was coming to her house tonight, and she was sure he would have no problem at all breaking his news of conquest to Bill in very graphic and hurtful terminology. Perhaps she could persuade him into letting her be the bearer of bad news instead. Honestly she wouldve rather not told him at all quite yet, she was ashamed of her own lack of morals. Sookie began to dig up any excuse for her absence last night that she could muster...

_I was at Fangtasia for a fun night out!...no, not like me...Eric summoned me to use my "ability" for professional business...ugh, no that requires a lengthy story that I wont be able to keep straight...I needed to have girl-talk with Pam?...yeah right..._

The drive would now be hours of anxiety and mental preparation. She turned the music completely off to be one with her thoughts. Would Bill even be able to know she wasn't home last night? All she could do was bear the uncomfortable ride back to Bon Temps to find out.


	2. Home Sweet Home

By the time Sookie arrived home she was sweating profusely from panic. It was practically pitch black out as she pulled up into the driveway. The car crept forward smoothly and she put it into park, sitting in the dark for a few precious moments to collect herself. Bill may very well be inside already, waiting for her and also for an explanation. Shakily she pulled out the keys and let the engines smooth vibrations give way to the unsettling hush of her quiet front yard. She stepped out of Erics Corvette, the hard gravel of the driveway crunched beneath her feet and reminded her that she was not wearing any shoes. This was the closest thing to the "walk of shame" that Sookie had ever experienced, but cheating on a vampire had more risk of drastic consequences than a drunken one night stand with some random man.

All the noises of the woods surrounding her home echoed in her head and seemed amplified. Each crickets call, every crinkle of a leaf being moved sounded like it was directly next to her. She realized Erics blood had made her senses almost too keen and even the most miniscule of sounds were constantly distracting her.

_Shut up! Shut up!...ok...just ignore it all..._

She could also see her house with distinct clarity even though her eyesight was normally terrible in the dark. She began to wonder what other things the blood had done to her that she had yet to notice. Huffing out once with nervous frustration, she stopped to regain whatever calmness she could before moving on.

Looking back at the car she was almost knocked to her knees with the reality that even if Bill bought whatever sloppy story she could come up with for wearing her current ridiculous outfit, the fact that she drove that car here was another thing entirely. It was doubtful that a fire-engine red corvette with a custom metal "Fangtasia" decal on the back bumper could belong to anyone but Eric Northman.

After a long and regretful stare, she stepped forward, a twig snapping between her toes. She gasped at the sudden sound and stopped.

She twisted her head to quickly check the areas to both of her sides. No one. She clasped both her hands over her mouth and looked down to her feet, her heart was racing like she had just run a marathon.

_OK...control yourself, you have to get in there and do things fast..._

A few more nervy moves forward led her onto the dewy grass before her front steps, but even the cool moisture now covering her soles and between her toes could give her no respite from the horrible heat of anxiety that was clinging to her. She peered up and noticed that the light in her bedroom was the only thing brightening up the secluded countryside. The window was open, and the breeze blew her white cotton drapes around so that she could faintly see her soft pink floral wallpaper.

_Did I leave that on?...I don't remember..._

Ignoring the barrage of heightened sounds and smells that fought for her attention, she made her way onto the porch quietly, stopping as to her right she watched the two-seat swing hanging from the awning slowly sway to and fro as if someone had just stopped swinging on it. Its rusty chains made soft rattling noises and she was sure it wasn't just the wind that had animated it. Had Eric been here already? Without his car she was sure he would have to fly to Bon Temps, and even though he was incredibly fast, he could not have been this fast. No, it wasn't Eric.

Peering into her own door like an unwelcome intruder, she pushed it open and slowly she snuck in. She locked it behind her and glanced into the living room, after which she spied into the dining area.

_Nobody...Thank you God!..._

She began the ascent up the stairs towards her room. Every creak of the old and worn down wood made her wince as she was sure Bill was going to appear at any moment and see her in this compromising position. Finally at the top she could see into her bedroom, the bed was still a mess as it had been before Pam had yanked her out the window last night, and there were no other signs that anyone had disturbed her personal space.

She had just stepped past the doorwall when the startling sound of her phone ringing burst out.

_Who would be calling me?...Bill?_

She stared at the phone as it rang a few times...if she didn't pick up, he would definitely be over here in seconds, searching for her. After giving herself a short and ultimately uninspiring pep-talk she lifted the phone off the hook and brought it to her ear. Her voice was soft and tentative...

"Hello?"

"What are you wearing?... Oh that's right...my shirt." she could hear the noise of a bustling crowd of people in the background, and the booming of loud bass and guitar.

_Eric!...Thank you Lord that it's Eric and not Bill!...hmm...never thought I would think that..._

"Yeah, yeah I know. Hooray for you. Can you please come over here? Bill is going to freak when he sees your car...we need to come up with a story."

"...and no panties..."

"Eric, I'm serious, he's coming home tonight and I don't know what to tell him."

"Tonight?" she could picture his eyebrows lifting with interest. "Oh, I can hardly wait to see the look on his face...please don't spoil the fun before I get there lover."

"Just please, hurry!"

"Someone is anxious for more hmm? I'll hurry over, but I'm taking my time when I get there.."

She rolled her eyes, "...please, its not about that right now. I'm by myself and I'm freaking out **ok**?"

He could tell she was concerned, but Compton posed no threat to him, and thus no threat to her either so he could enjoy himself and remain playful. "Don't worry min älskling, you'll be in ecstasy again in no time at all..."

"...just get over here!"

"On my way .*click*"

She hung the phone up with urgency and closed her bedroom door, after which she closed her window, which finally gave her peace from the sounds of the Louisiana wilderness. The smell of her collection of perfumes and soaps filled her nostrils and gave her a tiny hint of relaxation. Still no signs of company, she let out a sigh and went to step towards her adjoining bathroom to wash herself up as quickly as possible.

_Where am I going to hide these clothes?..._

She stepped in and ran the faucet, holding her wrist under the stream of water until it was warm enough to her liking. Slowly gave herself a once over in the wide rectangular mirror.

The fang marks...they were gone! She groped her own neck in astonishment and let out one still-careful giggle of relief. Her hair was a mess, but that was easy enough to fix. She decided brushing her teeth would be her first step in the "Wash-Eric-Off-Me" process and though she felt more confident now in the safety of her home she was still nervous enough that she lost grip of her toothbrush, and it toppled to the floor landing with a quiet clink on the peach tile.

She bent to retrieve it when suddenly and without warning, the air around her felt colder. She froze in place.

"I can smell him on you...and it's making me sick."

She could hear the anger in Bills voice, breaking his normally smooth southern drawl.

Still bent down, her body trembled. With all of her being she wanted to just disappear, but the longer she stayed with her eyes clamped shut the heavier and heavier the dead silence weighed upon her and she knew she would have to rise up and face him.

As steadily as a woman who was violently shaking with fear could, she stood up straight and looked ahead into the mirror, the rushing sound of her faucet still running was as loud as a thunderstorm. His reflection was directly behind hers, his dark eyes shifted to meet her quickly then stayed stagnant, looking like two black holes burrowing through her. His glare was unlike any she had seen from him before, it spoke a thousand words of hate, and demanded she reply.


	3. Silence

They both were frozen in time, and the seconds felt like hours. His angry stare was impossible to break away from, despite the fact that it was making her incredibly uneasy. She could feel the aura of rage radiating off of him, reminding her of hovering a hand above an open flame. The sensation was making her dizzy and nauseous, distorting her vision .She grabbed hold of the cold marble counter top for leverage, for fear she would faint at any moment.

"Bill...I...I can explain everything..." she stammered quietly, watching his reflection behind her with an all-consuming dread, her skin began to feel cool and clammy. He was not himself, she had anticipated yelling and questioning, but this reaction was disturbing. He remained an unblinking statue, his dark chocolate hair messy and falling over the sharp lines of his eyebrows. His old-fashioned sideburns and 5 o'clock shadow were bushier then normal and un-tapered. Though he was only a few inches taller then her, he seemed to tower above her shivering likeness in the mirror, eyes solemn and brow furrowed. He looked as if he had been neglecting himself, Bill was normally quite the perfectionist when it came to grooming. Running along the line of his throat was a nearly healed-over gash, it resembled the claw markings of an animal, Sookie ensured she looked at it briefly, it was not her time to question him yet. His complexion was not quite pale enough to look as if he had gone hungry, suspicious from a man who claimed to only feed from his beloved .

_It doesn't look like I'm the only one who's been up to no good, where have you been Bill Compton?..._

Even though he had no need to breathe, Bill was taking in deep, loud drags of air in attempts to contain himself as much as possible. He was furious...resentful...raging with all he had inside and literally seeing red. It was bad enough she had been unfaithful...but to do it with Eric was merely rubbing it in his face. He was sure they had shared blood, which meant she could never be his and his alone again. Abandoning much of his vampire nature to be with her had exposed him to ridicule and scorn from his own kind. This deceit only proved how right they were.

If any part of him was still human before tonight, it just decided to shed away from him like a second skin.. The monster beneath now stood alone.

In a blur his body was rammed against her back. The air was pushed out of her, as her head nearly knocked against the glass from the forward momentum. Surprised, she closed her eyes and gripped the counter top tightly. His hands slammed down on top of hers, entrapping them as his chest heaved up and down against her shoulder blades. She was sure he could feel the sweat on her skin, and that he knew she was frightened. Caught in front of him, her eyes opened once more to cautiously peer up into the mirror. It was only inches away now, her timid breathing made small foggy patches upon its surface, the steam from the running faucet caressed her but gave no relief. His bitter face was directly beside hers, fangs distended and even lengthier then they were on a normal basis. He cocked his head towards the crook of her neck and his hot breath smothered her skin as he demanded she listen.

"You look like a cheap **whore**..." , he growled, with his eyes peering down at Erics black tank top. It hung loosely on her chest,exposing the gentle curves of her cleavage...but the smell of him embedded into the fabric was driving Bill insane.

_..Whore?..._

That word felt like a smack in the face. Bill had never insulted her. Despite this menacing display, she began to feel shame and guilt for being the responsible party of the situation.

Just as the remorse began to trickle through her brain, it was flooded away by flashes of scarlet colored images. They bombarded her senses, and overtook everything, playing in her head like a horror-show she couldn't stop. Her eyes widened and her body stiffened beneath him as she lost control.

_Bill choking her, beating her...Ravenously sucking out the life from her body... Fucking her against her will while draining her dry... Her ivory sheets saturated with her own blood...Screams echoing into the dead of the night..._

They were his impulses. To her dismay she could see them with prefect clarity, which was rare for vampires, but with the enormity of his infuriated state and growing blood lust he was broadcasting as loud as a supernatural being could. She tried with all her might not to shake beneath him too much and lead on that she knew the terrible things he was thinking about her. She now moved any feelings of guilt aside, and only recognized panic. She had never seen him so angry, so out of his mind, and it was horrifying to put it lightly. This was not the man she knew and loved, his rage had consumed him and he was becoming more of a maniac with every passing second.

"You must think me a fool...I can feel you Sookie, and I know you betrayed me last night...though I never thought you would've sank to this disgusting of a level..." his Southern twang softened nothing.

"...I..I don't know what your talking about.." She decided to try the denial approach, if for nothing else then to just buy her more time.

"...don't insult my intelligence."

The jig was up...and despite her fear of making him madder by confirming the truth, she decided to confess.

"I'm sorry...I love you..." as she spoke those words, she now knew she didn't mean them anymore. Viewing his massacre fantasy, seeing him arrive back home in suspicious disarray... she could not love Bill Compton, because she did not know the true Bill Compton. However in favor of her safety she needed to play his game, regain his affections and question his whereabouts after. Eric would be there in due time, and then the tables would turn.

Emotions erratic, Bills cast-iron stare softened and Sookie watched him with awe as he suddenly whimpered and fought back tears.

"All that I have given up for you..." his voice was husky and choked, holding back his urge to weep uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry Bill..." she was becoming more and more tense with each of his pants against her neck, still doing her best to remain still. She could feel his grip atop of her hands quivering.

"You are **mine**, and he wont take you from me." His emotions shifted once more, his face was now as blank as a piece of paper, unreadable. His words were definite, as though she had no choice in the matter.

"I am my own person , and not something either of you can own..."

"..or trust" he added, his voice spitting venom.

Yes it was true, she had deceived him, and in no small fashion. However, his implication that she was not deserving of trust struck her rather deeply. Bill was no saint, and had been caught red-handed lying to her before, yet she forgave and attempted to move on. Suddenly a bubble of fury began to blow up within her, soon it burst.

"At least he was there for me! Where the hell were you for weeks now?"

His expressionless face now perked up and roared with laughter. She watched him with distaste, and wished she could force the grin off of his lips.

"You honestly think Eric Northman is going to care for you after he had his way with your body? Your **nothing **to him, just another cheap slut he tricked into his bed...if he even gave you the courtesy of fucking you in a bed... If anything he knew it would get to me...and I'll tell you he's not going to win..." His grip on her clenched and she winced beneath him. His nails were digging into her fingers and causing painful indents.

Abruptly the sadistic smile after the laugh that Sookie had roused from him faded. She felt one of his icy hands release her, and begin to rake up her spine. She froze for fear that moving would provoke violence. Slowly it climbed, she could feel nothing else. Trembling beneath his fingertips, his hand finally found its way to her hair and instantly latched onto a handful, yanking her around to face him. She cried out from the pain, her body now leaning back against the counter and his chest against hers. His fingers coiled more, pulling at her without mercy.

"Ow! Fuck, Bill you're hurting me!"

No response, only the agonizing sensation of him wrenching her soft and delicate curls even tighter. She looked into his eyes above her, they were soulless, void of anything. She was now afraid for her life.

_He's really going crazy...have to get him out of here...rescind his invitation..._

"That's **it**! Bill Compton, I resi-"

She felt him release her hair, but the relief was only momentary as his hand smacked across her face.

The shock of it had her stunned. After the impact of the strike his palm did not release, instead his rough fingers stopped on her and dug into her cheeks tightly, smashing her mouth closed with unnecessary force. He grabbed her around the waist with his other arm, clutching her to himself tightly. She felt suffocated, like he was a snake coiling her into his body until she had no room to breathe. He began to drag her out of the bathroom, she kicked against his legs and writhed within his the hold, but it was of no use. He was hauling her towards the bed.

Bill was surprised at how much of his strength he was having to use to restrain her, she had drank more of Erics blood then he thought. The realization only made him more crazed.

"I'm not going anywhere Sookie, and you **will **come to your senses. **You are mine**...and I plan to ensure that will always be after tonight." He spoke the words directly into her ear, the backs of his legs now against the end of her bed.

_Wait, what does that mean?...Fuck, where is he taking me?...He has really lost it!..._

Sickness washed over her...she knew what he was getting at, but didn't want to believe he would be capable of being so heartless.

She had seen a flash of Bill sleeping next to her, both of them in darkness and covered in dirt and dried blood...she had never hoped to see Eric Northman more in her life.

_Even if Eric can be a monster too...at least he is honest about it...Bill is a fraud...and I don't want to be his plaything forever...please Lord help me..._

* * *

He was in mid-flight, the icy night air whizzing across his face and blowing back his hair. The Earth below him whirred past so quickly it was a nothing but a smear of blues and greens. White skin glowing under the moonlight, he was planning the night ahead...so long he had waited to have her to himself, to claim her. A sadistic grin had been plastered across his lips all night.

Suddenly the bond summoned him, beckoning him to come to her, that something was terribly wrong. His head snapped to the right, towards Sookies immediate direction.

_Min älskare, sårade han dig ... (My lover, he hurt you...)_

Eric was taken aback, he knew that pathetic failure of a man would be angry, he had planned on enjoying the show. However the knowledge that Sookie had been physically harmed due to a lack of forethought on Erics own part was a devastating truth .How could he have been so blind?...Even though Compton had gone soft in the past decade or so, it was still deeply ingrained in all vampires nature to be reckless and violent if provoked. Bill was opening a floodgate that may end up drowning the both of them, but as long as Sookie was safe in the aftermath, it didn't matter. He could not get there fast enough.

* * *

Bill threw her backwards with enough velocity that Sookie knew if it wouldn't have been her bed she landed on, the force may have broken her in two.

In a second more, he was on her, straddling her waist and pressing her mouth shut with one unyielding hand. Her tank top rode up, and the coarse material of his pants was rubbing against the skin of her belly, burning her. He was wearing clothes that looked to be from his civil war days, brown slacks and a tan button up shirt with a dressy collar, both faded and thin with age.

Her pulse was pounding, beating against the silence of house and calling out to him. His face hovered above her, barren of all love and tenderness. With a blur of his free arm Erics shirt was ripped from her torso and his face buried into her chest, kissing and licking her goosebumped skin wildly. His rough tongue snaked across her ribs and the slope of undersides of her breasts, but her body could find no pleasure, she wanted to vomit. She built up strength and attempted to rise up against him, pushing her hands against the softness of her bed.

"DONT EVEN TRY IT..." he screamed, fangs on display. He left hand encircled her neck and strangled her, she went limp beneath him, the feel of air being denied from her lungs forcing her to lay in disgusted submission to him. Tears began to roll down her cheeks and the soft sound of her sobbing was inaudible under his palm.

The sudden outburst had even startled Bill himself, his voice quickly softened...

"...Once we are done you will love me again...my Sookie..."

Both his icy hands were still upon her mouth and neck, he looked bloodthirsty and perverse.

_What do I do?What do I do?... Play the game, he still wants you..._

She looked up into his lifeless eyes and forced herself to appear amorous. Slowly with one of her shaking hands she caressed his thigh and with the other squeezed one of her own breasts. She feigned a moan out into his palm, obliging his ego. Bill let out a soft growl and released her neck, still clasping her face for silence. His mouth once again plunged for her. A sharp pain stabbed through her core and she howled into his palm, he was biting one of her nipples like a dog with a piece of rawhide, pulling and yanking like she was nothing but meat. She attempted to use her mental barrier techniques she usually reserved for blocking out peoples inner dialogues to now ignore everything as much as she could and let herself go scatterbrained with a flurry of escape plans calling out to her. Erics blood had given her strength. She gave herself a silent prayer in the hopes that when she saw an opportunity, she would have the power to knock him off of her and run.

Before she could come up with much, she felt a jolt of alarm and discomfort as his hand was pressing into the crotch of her pants, digging at her insides. Tears were still obscuring her view of him as he went to remove her bottoms despite her squirming and clamped thighs.

_Please don't...God Eric where are you?..._

As he looked down at her zipper, Bill quickly noticed the folded yellow paper stuck to her hip, his hands attack upon her stopped and he fell quiet as he opened it with enraged and hurried fingers.

Sookie felt a need to scream, because she knew if he wasn't already tipped over the edge, the note would be the thing to break him.

She was right.

He recognized Erics penmanship immediately, and after reading it over and over he was fuming. He now knew Eric would be there soon, which meant this must be done fast. He looked down upon her, both of them silent, her lip trembling against the rough skin of his palm. His mouth opened wide, unleashing an earsplitting roar as he dove at her neck, she knew it was now or never.

Building up all the force she could muster she swung up, meeting his advance and punched him square in the jaw. His mouth snapped shut as his head was thrown back, hands releasing her. She slipped out from under him as fast as possible and bolted for the door as he kneeled still in shock on her bed. She scrambled on bare feet, the slippery floor almost causing her to fall, but then wobbled and regained her balance to make it through her bedroom door. With her sudden burst she hadn't enough breath to yell back to him at all. She turned around to rescind his invitation, but he was already on her once more and his cold hand pushed her shoulders, propelling her backwards. With barely the time to register it, she was feeling herself weightless before toppling down the stairwell. Her limbs bashed into the wooden rails and steps, each bump and crash sending shocks of unspeakable pain through her and forcing guttural cries and groans from her throat.

Her eyes closed, she let herself fall away into the blackness of her mind and endured the misery as she slammed against the final steps.

Her body landed a few feet from her front door with a heavy thud, sliding slightly on the hardwood floor which pulled against her skin. She laid in surrender to the agony, a crumpled pile on the floor. Slowly her eyes peeled back by only millimeters and she let out a few frail coughs, feeling what had to be the warm wetness of blood trickle down the corner of her mouth. She was on her side, arms flopped out in front of her and tangled together. She shifted her gaze to her hands, noting that her pinky and ring finger on her right hand were looking crooked

_Broken...fuck..._

Honestly she hardly cared...her body was aching in so many places she couldn't focus on anything. Erics blood had definitely given her power, but it was no match for the kind of abuse Bill had put her through. She wondered if he had indeed lost his mind, though she hardly had the energy to even wonder about anything. She felt a chill creeping through her... tiny pinpricks all over her body, like being walked on by a thousand spiders. The echoing sound of Bill walking down the stairway above her began, but she couldn't move at all despite the fact that this was by far the most scared she had ever been. She watched him lazily, in a battered stupor as he descended the steps as calmly as someone coming down to get the paper on Sunday morning. Hands in his pockets and eyes dead set on her weak and beaten down frame, he sighed and spoke with a demeaning cadence, as if he were lecturing a small child.

"I guess there's no point in hiding my business from you anymore Sookie, we can start things fresh. I have confessions as well..."

She was numb, she wondered if the arms in front of her were even her own...it didn't feel like it...she was floating away into nothingness...her body was no longer her own.

"These past weeks I've spent with Lorena have been illuminating. I guess infidelity has it's way of coming back around, so this is somewhat my fault too. She's showed me that mainstreaming is not in my best interest anymore...I am Vampire...and I should embrace that..."

She coughed again and was overcome by seeing the wide spatters of blood she was making on her just-polished floor. Her tears began to soak her cheek and forehead, collecting in a pool on the ground.

_...That bitch...she can have him..._

"...But we'll discuss that later, **tonight is all your doing**. I can have you both now...Lorena may be my maker, but you are the one I love...that I would kill for...you'll see that."

By the time he was done speaking, his shoes were directly in front of her face. Slowly he lifted one leg and pressed his foot against her tender ribs. She cried out in anguish, his toe felt like a knife, she was now sure that there was internal bleeding. The tip of his brown buckled shoe rolled her over so that she was facing her front door, it tracked a small bit of blood on the naked skin of her side before stepping back to the ground. The cold air hit her bare upper body and it felt as good as anything could feel, being in the condition she was.

The door was hanging open from Bills forced entry, the silence and darkness outside reaffirmed her knowledge that if she screamed there would be no one to hear her.

Every blink of her eyes felt like slow motion, one moment she was staring into the black abyss of the night, framed by the crumbling doorway of her old house, the next it was nearly filled up with Erics looming figure. The ground reverberated his landing, like a tiny earthquake.

If she had even an ounce of strength left, she would've smiled.

He gave Sookie a once-over as quickly as possible, surveying the damage. If looks could kill, Bill Compton would've keeled over on the spot.


	4. Unfamiliar feeling

**A note:OK i have gotten 2 separate reviews today regarding me taking too long to update,and I'll be honest in that they kind of hurt my feelings. I am an RN who works full time 12.5 hour shifts, I write in my spare time for fun, and I update weekly if not 2 times a week.I dont like rushing myself to put out something I dont think is worth reading, I want the story to be what I intend it to be,not rushed and sloppy.I am sorry if I take too long...but i just can't go any faster :( OK...pity party over, Eric and Sookie is supposed to be dirty fun people! 3**

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Erics ancient and tired eyes were fixated on Bill who stood above Sookies crippled and motionless body sideways on the hardwood floor of her entryway. Her beautiful hair was in disheveled tangles and the soft tanned skin of her upper body was splotchy with blood stains. Eric would've normally been driven wild with lust and hunger at the sight of her flesh so covered in crimson, yet in this moment, knowing full well the agony Bill had unleashed upon her, he felt only outrage. Her eyes were nearly shut, her left one somewhat swollen with a growing bruise beneath its lid. The smack Bill had delivered earlier had been completely without restraint of his full supernatural power. Despite the swelling, he could still see her dark pupils on him, praying out for Eric to take her away from her abuser. Engaged in a battle of wills, neither vampire was willing to step down despite the dire consequences of either of them harming the other.

Deep down Bill knew he stood no chance against Eric in battle due to his age, but he also knew that Eric had not been verbally invited into Sookies home...so the ball was in fact still in his court. He had bowed down to Erics wishes on many occasions, and had emphatically stated that Sookie was not to be touched when he grew aware of his Sheriffs obvious lewd interest in her...Yet the Viking had the audacity to corrupt her despite his bonding. This night would be sweet revenge upon the both of them for their dishonesty.

"If you give a **shit** about your lowly existence you will leave Sookie to me **NOW**" Eric bellowed out to him, fangs glinting against the darkness of the night around him. The physical distance between the two of them was only a matter of a few strides for Erics long and limber legs, yet it felt like miles. Eric stood tall and still in the doorway, somehow still appearing calm and collected, a perfect display of intimidation.

"She was mine Eric, you had **no right**!" Bill snarled back and pointed at the him with a tense and determined finger.

"She made her own decision last night...the decision not to be with a loathsome coward such as yourself...leave her to me now Bill Compton and perhaps I will reconsider ripping those eyes from your skull so you can watch me fuck her...**again** "

Bills icy blue eyes narrowed as the sting of Sookies betrayal stabbed through his unbeating heart once more. The crude word from Erics lips made it all the more real. She really had let him defile her, as much as he wanted to believe it wasn't true...

_...Whore...she's nothing but a whore...if that's what she is then that's how I will treat her now..._

His hands balled into clenched, tight fists.

"It's not her choice, she is bonded to me! Even you cant deny that...and I intend on keeping her despite this...indiscretion."

Eric allowed a smug and self-righteous grin to overtake his glowing face.

"...surely you aren't foolish enough to think your blood still has any power over mine? my 1,000 years would eradicate your bond even if she fed off you until you shriveled into nothing."

Bill hissed and brandished his fangs at Eric. He was unwilling to budge, Sookie continued to be a still and silent pile of skin and pleather in front of his feet, her eyes sealed shut. Presumably now unconscious, her chest rose up and down with the weakest of breaths. Erics grin faded as he looked down upon his paramour, time for debate had ended.

"As your **superior** both in rank and in constitution, I am **ordering** you to release her to me!" Eric was letting his anger begin to blaze through, he could no longer play "rational sheriff"...this was a personal attack against his power.

"I will not."

Bill smirked, and crouched over Sookies body, running a hand all the way down her side, his fingers flowing with the curves of her frame. He lifted her upper body off of the floor with a one rough tug, cupping her back with his right arm. Sookies eyes snapped open for a brief moment from the pain of being disturbed and a tormented grunt escaped her lips. Quickly her eyelids snapped shut again, pushing out tears that dirtied with blood upon their descent down her cheeks. He pushed a thick bundle of her hair away from her neck with his left hand, exposing her thready and weakened pulse point. Leaning his face into her warmth , he nuzzled her gently, eyes locked onto Erics and a sadistic grin across his face.

"Your blood may be stronger then mine, this is true...but a makers bond can never be broken."

Erics lip curled back with contempt, his fangs were easily twice the size of Bills. He was not one to be denied, especially by someone as low on the totem pole as this. However he was painfully aware of his present situation. Right now without being able to step foot near Compton, he felt uncharacteristically powerless...though you would never know by the intensity of his current looming display.

"Don't be a fool Bill, she's already beaten to a pulp! You may very well murder her in the process! Give her to me if you want **any** chance at redemption..."

Sookie was vaguely aware of the conversation being spewed back and forth above her, but the world was in bits and pieces. Everything appeared to be coated in static, her jaw felt unbelievably heavy and loose, every tiny movement of her face sent a searing misery through her. She was therefore trying her best to remain as still as possible. She felt Bills cold face now pressed into her neck and wanted to weep, she would've given anything to push him away and run into Erics arms. She never would've thought she would equate Eric Northman with safety, but here she was doing just that, and it felt surprisingly right...not like a decision made of pure necessity which most would presume in this situation.

Bills stiff hand roamed down to the top of Pams-borrowed pants and selfishly tore them down with one quick vampric rush. Sookie twitched, inevitably making her spit and jerk with agony from the sudden movement of her throbbing body. His rigid fingers rubbed up and down her now-exposed nether-region, the feel of her under his palm familiar and almost reassuring to his ego. Rapaciously Bill shoved two fingers inside of her, jamming them in and out at a feverish pace while still clutching her tightly into him with his other arm. His fangs almost buzzed with the electricity of arousal and thirst, without a second of hesitation he dove himself towards a spot above her clavicle and broke skin with a spurt of blood towards the doorway. The act of sex with taking blood was so ingrained into vampire culture, Bill was getting off immensely on watching Erics face as he devoured his bonded in every way possible.

Eric was stunned, and though he knew it would be to no avail, he could not stop himself from slamming his body into the entryway barrier, throwing his broad shoulder forward over and over. Each and every time his massive body was knocked back by a force much stronger than himself. After a few failed attempts his rage locked his vision onto Bills face once more. He screamed out to Bill, currently entangled with Sookie and taking in loud gulps from her artery, hand grinding into her insides mercilessly

"**You are a gutless piece of filth Compton, I will get in this house, you mark my fucking words...As much as I would love to stake you on the spot, rest assured your demise will be the most AGONIZING AND PROLONGED DEATH I CAN CONCEIVE**." His voice was such an palpable boom, it may very well have moved the Earth as it echoed through the night. Erics entire body was shaking violently, his eyes wide with fury, limbs twitching and aching to reach inside and rip his enemy apart until he was nothing but shreds of gristle and sinew.

Sookies body began to convulse under Bills attack, but without the energy within her system to flail it was hardly more then a small fit of twitches and spasms. Her body was fast becoming deprived of its oxygen-carrying liquid essence. His suction on her neck released with an audible popping sound, and his tongue rubbed into the gaping wound, encircling it over and over. Without his mouth to catch it, her blood poured in a wide stream down her neck and between her breasts, collecting beneath them both.

For the first time in centuries, Eric felt utterly helpless. His mania of anger was overtaking everything, his hands trembled as he closed his eyes for a brief second to compose himself. Though he would never let Bill Compton live to see another sunset, he could not let that be his main focus now. He was of no use to her if he could not get inside. Cautiously he peered down into Sookies halfway open eyes, they had about as much life left in them as a porcelain dolls. He bent down onto his knees, to be at her level, his expression was struggled and desperate.

"Sookie, min älskare, please find the strength to let me in.."

She showed no movement or sound. Her deep red blood pooled into thick puddles across the floor, almost to the point of reaching Erics toes. It sunk into the cracks between the wood panels and stained the knees of Bills deep brown pants. Eric watched with fearful eyes as her own began to glaze over and the normal color of her skin was beginning to morph into a pale and deathly white. Compton was sucking her dry, and incredibly fast. Sookie stared absently at the distorted image of her Viking, helpless and quaking in the doorway. He was a white and blonde blur, slowly being sucked farther and farther away from her as her consciousness was slipping away. She was floating off into a numb oblivion.

He knew better then to ask her again, she was far too weak to say anything in return. He had precious few options, if any at all. Ashamed for a brief moment, Eric felt the unfamiliar heat of a bloody tear trailing its way down his cheek. His hand came up to wipe it away, and after seeing his own redness on his fingertips he focused on Bill and resorted to drastic measures.

"Please Bill, I **beg **of you..."

It pained him to grovel before the likes of Bill Compton. That pain however was superficial compared to the anguish he was starting to succumb to at the thought of his one chance of happiness in his long existence being ripped away before he could even really taste it. He had no other alternative. Eric kneeled, his entire body quivering with a combination of hatred and despair. He was useless, good for nothing, paralyzed... as the woman he now knew he "loved" was being murdered and stolen from him. His fangs dug into the bottom of his own lip, more of his own blood making two small lines down his stubbled chin. The tears now flowed freely down his cheeks, as he murmured out to his dying beloved...

"...Jag är ledsen, min älskling..." ( _...I am sorry, my darling.._.)

Bill was lost in his own world of ecstasy in the taste of her, he could sense by the slowing of her heartbeat that he would have to pry himself away soon and feed her from his wrist. His shirt was saturated with her fluids, his hand still pumping in and out of her wet opening. Abruptly he removed his fingers from inside her, while once again sucking with relentless force upon her neck, and brought his hand down to the buckle of his own pants. He would make Eric watch as he claimed her for his own again, make him watch as he made love to her as she died only to be reborn as his pet for all eternity.

_Eric...I'm going to die.._

His hunched over body and bloody-tear stained face snapped to attention to meet his lovers gray and almost lifeless one. He could **hear** her. It was her voice, weak but audible, and it was as clear as a bell to his keen ears. How or why he did not know in this moment, perhaps it was just his heartbroken imagination going wild with madness to save her...but if there was any chance it was really her, it afforded him an opportunity.

"INVITE ME IN,**NOW**!" His arctic blue eyes brightened as he shot to his feet in the blink of an eye.

Her face was apologetic and sad, and though she had no idea Eric could actually hear her inner dialogue, her struggle to form the words with her lips as a last-ditch effort in saving her own life found its way over to him in a free-flowing ambient thought. Her soft voice blew by him, he could see the words in incredible contrast against the blackness of his mind. Her voice, frail and thready, called out to him and he picked it up with intense concentration.

_Eric Northman, come inside...please._

He roared with a blood-thirsty smile and stomped one foot inside the floor of the house, now feeling no resistance to his immense presence. Bills mouth let go of Sookies flesh immediately and his shocked eyes peered up at Eric with horror. Sookies body slumped down to the floor as he let her go, sending ripples through the large ruby red puddle beneath them. Bills pants were halfway down as he stumbled backwards away from his victim.

Every muscle in Erics body was teeming with sparks and tense with a rage so great he was almost unable to see straight. Vision red and fangs hungry, he dove forward to **kill** Bill Compton.


	5. My pet

Sookie felt the immense heat of her own blood pouring over her shoulder in waves and drenching her entire backside. It was about the only thing she **could** feel, as her reality was now nothing but sensations and the silence of her own mind. The activity around her hardly existed, and her tunnel vision was narrowing by the second, sucking her away from the Earth. Lying naked on the floor and as still as a mannequin, her lifeless eyes were fixed upon the ceiling as the blur that was Eric flew over her and sent a few tiny strands of her hair swaying to the side.

She hadn't even the energy left to scream and sob as she was swept up into his left arm, she merely let herself be pure dead weight against his grasp, sweating and trembling.

His other hand shot forward and gripped Bills neck before he had a chance to back enough out of range. His rigid grasp squeezed and shook until Comptons eyes were nearly bursting from their sockets.

"Your...wasting...precious...time..." ,Bill managed to spit out, each word its own dire struggle. He squirmed relentlessly under Erics choke hold, fingers prying and clawing at him for freedom. A sadistic grin overtook the Vikings face, he enjoyed making his enemy suffer with nothing but his bare hands. His joy however was short-lived as his gaze shifted from Bill to the woman in his arm, and his expression morphed into dismay. She was gasping for air like a fish out of water, her inspirations jagged and almost painful to even listen to. Bill was right, there was no longer time to spare.

Sookies own heartbeat thumped slowly within her head, beating like a distant drum, amidst it suddenly was a jarring crash and what could only have been the putrid crunch of bones breaking. She could not have even looked if she wanted to, but she was sure she didn't want to. Eric had thrown Bill one-handed with all of his might, sending him flying straight towards a small closet beside the staircase.

The thin and worn down door cracked apart on impact, and the splintered wood that sprayed out looked like a fireworks display before littering the floor. Comptons pants were still down around his ankles from his own doing earlier, which made it plain to see that his limbs were no longer positioned as they should be. His pale skin was a stark contrast to the darkness of the tiny closet space, one of his legs had hit the door frame on his way in and cracked his femur completely in half. He was a twisted and awkward pile, now screaming with agony as the bloody and jagged bone now jutted outside of the flesh of his bare upper thigh. That however was not the only casualty his body had endured from his landing, he could feel the bones in his lower arms had various internal fractures, and the many shattered pieces were now like little blades piercing themselves into his sensitive nerve endings. He looked at his victim and her savior, while now clutching his upper half to his broken leg as if it were life itself.

Whimpers and coughs continued to be heard from the closet, Eric ignored them as he knelt on the ground, slowly settling Sookie down with him and leaning her back against his chest. Softly he stroked away a few pieces of crimson stained hair from her forehead and gently pried open her lips with two fingers. Though she looked sickly and afraid, he couldn't help but admire her trembling lips beneath his fingertips as he pushed them apart. His affectionate gaze onto her snapped back up to Bill and soon was furious once more.

"I suggest you leave as soon as you possibly can...but rest assured that alone will not save you. Bill Compton you are **forever** a wanted man."

As he spoke, Eric took pause to rip at the flesh of his own forearm with his teeth, taking off a chunk of skin with barely a flinch and shoving the wound into Sookies gaping but still mouth.

Bill looked like a wounded animal as he shakily pulled himself up off the floor, defeat apparent in his eyes and body language. His obviously broken and bleeding leg gave way beneath him a several times before he could actually scrape himself out towards the entryway by leaning his weight against the wall and off of the weakened leg. He bit against his own lip to hold in howls of anguish from the bones fragments piercing into him, even with so much of Sookies blood he knew it would be a long time before he would fully recover from so many internal injuries. As he crept his way past the couple huddled together on the floor, he was foolish enough to cast a forlorn look down at Sookies pale frame, red tears beginning to well in the corners of his bloodshot eyes. Eric sensed Bills pause and his head flew around to snarl and bare his blood-soaked fangs at him in warning. Bill continued his way out the door, and soon enough he was gone, his figure melting away into the night.

They both stayed molded together in her entryway, one of his hands propped her chin up to close her mouth around him and the other hooked around her cheek while pressing his forearm against her cold lips. Her hair though matted and in tangles was still soft as it brushed against his neck when her head shifted, he smiled at the comfort of touching her again. Her body was fighting for life, and overrode the pain, taking feeble draws of his thick blood. Most of it trickled down her face in tiny streams and eventually trailed onto her chest, but enough was getting through already to give her muscles strength to suck harder. His blood was salty and hot, and the taste in this moment was not giving her the pleasure it had been the night before, but even in her near-death madness she knew it was saving her life. She gagged a few times as spurts from his artery gave her too much to take in. Suddenly there were sensations beginning to stir through her body, unfamiliar and frightening to say the least. It was like random jolts and stabs of movement and pulling within her core. She eventually realized that organs and tissue inside of her were rebuilding and mending themselves. It started slowly, and was uncomfortable yet tolerable, but as it quickly built and culminated it was even more painful then the injuries themselves. Her gut felt like it was being wrung in a knot, and though she thought it would be impossible to sweat anymore she now felt drenched in ice cold beads of her own perspiration. Her breathing sped up and up until it was too much to bear, with a shrill gasp she fainted.

_Blackness...nothing..._

In what felt like only a second later she had regained hazy recognition of her surroundings. Somewhat like she was watching a television. She was cradled within strong arms like a child, and could feel the up and down motion of slowly ascending a staircase. Motionless and complacent in his arms, her eyes could make out only the soft and thin fabric of a black cotton button down shirt. Erics smooth, almost monotone voice purred into the air around her, dancing past her ears and then being whisked away.

"Du kommer inte att lämna mig ännu ... " (_You will not leave me yet..._)

Though she knew not the meaning of the words, they gave her a feeling of security and if the sore muscles of her face would've allowed she'd have given him a smile. His body felt warmer then a vampires usually would, but the realization that this was most likely due to her being drained of all her own warmth and vitality was disheartening . She wondered if she would die, but was too oblivious to permanence of anything to care. Her eyes remained open as she felt herself no longer being held. Her body was softly placed upon a hard smooth surface. Coughing and rolling onto her side, a small trail of blood drained out from the corner of her mouth down to the floor, she was unsure if the blood was hers or Erics, not that it mattered. Her bare skin was suddenly aware that it was cold tile beneath her, and she felt goosebumps popping up as she curled herself up into a fetal position, closing her eyes and taking in deep struggled drags of air.

She was out again.

_Soft noises...only darkness...where am I?..._

She awoke to a warm wet sensation around her, and she was once again cradled in Erics arms. She was taken by surprise but within seconds her entire body relaxed and gave in to a soothing moist heat. Her muscles hung loose and her limbs swayed in the air like a rag dolls, she heaved in a breath and vapor rushed into her throat and nostrils. She was in the shower, and it was like heaven. Hot water rolled down her body and she watched with half open and tired eyes as each drop clouded red from the blood caked onto her skin like paint. She could see the pink-tinged water beneath them both, though her view was half taken up by the sight of Erics wet arm wrapped around her, its soft pale hairs plastered to his damp skin.

"Koppla min älskare, du är säker med mig nu ..." (_Relax my lover, you are safe with me now .._)

Her center of gravity shifted, and abruptly yet gently her feet were being placed in the hot water to stand up. He could sense she was no where near strong enough to hold up her own weight yet, so he propped her up against his chest as she shook and wobbled from the strain of using her own legs. Her eyes were shut as her body rejoiced silently in the steaming solace, though all of her muscles still ached and throbbed. His hands began to move gently up and down her back, rubbing softly and wiping away streaks of dried scarlet, her flesh was supple beneath his touch and he longed to touch her in a more sensual way, but this was not the time. However, he decided to indulge himself a bit, he leaned over her and rested his chin on her shoulder before his tongue snaked out to lick a patch of blood away. He waited to get a sense of her reaction to it, and found she did not want to pull away, she was grateful to him. He knew this absolutely, as once again the very words inside her tired mind were transferred to him. He wanted to ask questions, know why he could hear her when in one thousand years he had never heard a thought from another being, but once again,...now was not the time. If one were to see his naked body behind her, it would be apparent he was very excited to be washing her, but being as gentlemanly as he could, his behind was resting against the glass shower door and not allowing his lower half to touch her. His wet hair clung to his forehead, and droplets of water stuck in the stubble on his chin as his mouth gaped open, fangs full and and displayed. Slowly he began to suck on the upper half of her right arm, removing all remnants of her abuse and savoring her taste mixed with the hot water. His left arm slid down the arch of her back to her hip and as his lips began to move to her shoulder blades he soon had knelt himself behind her, holding her up with both hands on her the curve of her backside, his fingers tenderly digging into her haunches. His tongue felt a bit rougher then she remembered, and she shivered beyond her control as it raked across the cheeks of her bottom and backs of her thighs. She knew he was cleaning her, while taking what he could because it was in his nature, and if it had been any other night she would've moaned and leaned over for him to reach other places, but she was far too tired...His breathing was heavy and the moisture and pressure of his mouth on her felt even better then the shower itself, she allowed her body to enjoy the feel of him licking her clean and panted a few times as silently as she could. She was sure he was getting off on it, but it didn't feel obscene...it felt protective and passionate...she let him do as he wished.

They spent several more minutes in her bathroom, he ensured every inch of her body was free of evidence to remind her of this night. Her scent was beginning to return, and the color was blossoming through her skin once more, the sun would be out within the hour and he knew he didn't have much time left.

Though Eric didn't know much about womens clothing, he knew enough to pick out a black baggy shirt from one of her drawers, something that wouldn't press on any of her sore spots. He slowly pulled it over her frail body after he laid her into her bed. He covered her up with one quick sweep of her ivory comforter and stopped for a moment to watch her, his towering body as motionless as a statue. The rise and fall of her chest had slowed, and she was already sleeping, as beautiful as any painting he had ever seen or any story had ever described. He yearned to lay with her, wait for her to wake up and then take her again like he had the night before, but she was in a delicate state and surely had many things to mull over before she would be in the right mind to enjoy herself.

His black shoes thumped against the wood floors as he made his way out, stopping in the entryway and peering down at the mess of blood and splintered wood. He sighed., his voice was somber.

"I have many things I need to take care of..."

* * *

Her alarm jolted her awake from a deep sleep.

_What happened?...What time is it?..._

Groggily she wiped her tired eyes with both hands and took a squinting glance at the clock beside her bed...10:13AM.

_Shit, shit, shit!... Sams gonna kill me!_

She rushed up, tossing her blankets aside and hurried over to her closet to find her Merlottes uniform. She yanked off the black T-shirt, and as she shuffled through her hangers of clothing she looked down at her own bare body, with absolutely no reminders of the injuries she had sustained last night. Her body in fact had a diffuse glow to it, and she felt the strongest she'd ever been. A lot of the night was hazy, chopped into bits and pieces, though she supposed that was for the best. Bill was a wolf in sheeps clothing, and if she never saw his face again even that would've been too soon. Never had anyone hurt her in both the physical and emotional sense as he had now, and it was puzzling to her that such a beast could lie within the disguise of a seemingly humble and peaceful man. Trust was not something she would give freely anymore.

Pulling a light denim jacket over her white baby-tee she was headed for her front door when a sturdy knock stopped her dead in her tracks.

_Who would be here?_

She closed her eyes and focused, scanning to read the brain of the person behind the door, she let out a small sigh of relief when she heard the familiar inner ramblings of Andy Bellefleur.

Quietly she opened the creaking door halfway and acted surprised to see him, thank goodness for years of practice.

"Andy, what are you doing here?"

"Where were you at around 5 AM last night Miss Stackhouse?" His striped collared shirt had a coffee stain on it, and his eyes were slightly hidden beneath brown tinted sunglasses.

She paused to think about the question...the bits and pieces of memory from the night before had no times attached.

"..Sleeping...here in my house...why, what's happened?" Her eyes stared deep into his as Andy gave her a slight look of suspicion. He did not believe she didn't already know the news he had to share with her.

"Well The old Compton house just across the way is burnt to a crisp, and we believe it to be an act of arson...you didn't happen to see or hear anything at all suspicious?"

She felt her stomach sink and it took all the energy she could muster to remain stone faced and feign that she had no idea why this event would transpire.

"Burnt down...oh my God!...was there a body? Please Andy **tell** me!" Pretending to care about the actual fact that Bills house had been destroyed was almost physically painful, but she had learned to become a decent actress. She looked at him with seemingly hopeful and pleading eyes.

"No Sookie, no body, at least not yet...but Vampire Bill is your boyfriend, as far as I know, when was the last time you saw him?" his hand flew up to his yellow steno pad, cheap black pen ready to go.

She quickly dispersed her shock, and began to focus on the contempt she now held for her ex.

"...We aren't exactly seeing each other anymore...but he...well, he stopped by last night.."

"And?..." Andy loved to pry at her, he had never been a fan of Sookie or Jason, the town weirdos.

"And then he left...we had a fight." Sookie was careful to block the view of her shattered closet door with her body as she noticed Andys neck craning in attempts to be nosy and view the inside of her home.

"So nothing since then? What were you fighting about, something serious? Can you think of anyone else who might have something against him?"

_Oh yes I can..._

"No, nothing serious. Just the types of things every couple...ex-couple... fights about...money, going out, you know...I cant believe someone would burn his house down, I couldn't tell you of any body I'd think would do it." Sookie glanced over to a clock hanging over in the living room, "Andy I will do whatever I can to help you figure this out, but I promise you I didn't hear anything. If i hear from Bill I will let you know. I'm late for work, so I really have to go."

"Alright Miss Stackhouse, since you have to work your free to go but I'll be back later to ask you more questions once we've finished investigating what's left of his house..." He finished jotting down his scrawled notes...typical sloppy male handwriting. Reaching down to the peeling wood of the porch deck he lifted a rectangular package and presented it to her. It was wrapped in what looked to be a crimson-colored silky fabric with a beautiful and sparkling black bow square on the top.

"This was outside your door...its not addressed but I am assuming its for you...perhaps a make-up present from Vampire Bill?" He gave her a wink, totally assuming, and oblivious to her non-verbal cues that Bill was nowhere near being in her good-graces.

She felt herself fuming...

_I am sick of hearing his name..._

She plastered a see-through smile across her country-girl face and spouted

"Perhaps!"

Andy lifted an eyebrow at her sudden cheeriness and then trotted his way down the porch steps before sliding back into his rusty cruiser and kicking up dust on the way out of the driveway. She stood in the doorway as he sped off, she knew damn well why that house burned down...and though she felt a bit ashamed at her own callousness she dint care one way or the other if Bill had been inside.

The package wasn't very heavy at all, she took a quick glance to both of her sides before shutting her front door and beginning to pull at the bow once she was sure she was away from prying eyes. She shook it just the slightest bit, eliciting a tiny "clink" of some type of metal inside.

_Wait...what if this __**is **__from Bill...some sort of bad thing to poison me or a death threat?_

She placed it on the floor...then leaning into her closet over the broken piece of leftover door she grabbed an old pink and white polka-dotted umbrella. She stood as far from the package as she could and poked at it with the umbrella, eventually knocking the lid off after a few failed and flailing attempts.

Nothing flew out, there was no live snakes or white powder...in fact from what she could see it looked like soft red tissue paper surrounding something soft and black.

She tiptoed closer and then kneeled down on the floor next to it.

Being on the floor in her entryway sparked her emotions and suddenly her senses were overtaken. She saw grisly images of herself gasping for air in a pool of her own blood, her neck with a gaping open wound and the overpowering pain making her as rigid as a board. The feelings flooded into her, almost drowning her with their intensity and she clutched her chest to bring herself back to reality.

"It's over...that's not real...**your OK now**..." she told herself as if she were speaking to a child. She stared down at the floor as she caught her breath.

_Hey wait...the floor, it's spotless!_

Either Eric or someone he had hired must've cleaned up the gruesome scene, and she was grateful indeed. One time cleaning up a massacre in her own home as she had when Gran died was enough to last a lifetime. She sighed at the painful memory, but then reached inside the box. She plucked out two items that after a moment to inspect them quickly caused her cheeks to turn vivid red.

"Oh my..."

It was a very tiny, and delicate bra and panty set. They were a gorgeous black velvet with lace trim, and felt expensive. The inside lining was smooth and cool, and the panties left nothing to the imagination. After inspecting them thoroughly she noticed something else in the bottom of the box.

_What the hell?_

It was a collar, made of the same materials with a shining metal D-ring in its center...it looked like something you would wrap around the neck of a pitbull...if it weren't for the lace trim. Leave it to Eric to be kinky and perverse the very moment he had the chance, it was risky to send something that screamed "let's fuck" to a woman who nearly died the night before, but it almost made her laugh out loud. Taped to the collar was a card on dusty pink paper. She opened it and smirked at the familiar sight of Erics smooth and skilled handwriting.

"Near-death experiences only amplify the few pleasures life has to offer. Wear what I have given you tonight, my pet.

Evigt din, (_Forever yours,_)

Eric."

She had never thought of a collar as sexy, though the black velvet lingerie certainly was. However for the man that had just saved her life, she would give it a try.


	6. Soulmates

The work day at Merlottes was like usual. Attempting to keep up a mental barrier as the assault of deviant intoxicated thoughts or mindless banter pounded against it. She was too emotionally exhausted to keep most of it out, but nothing any town drunk could say would top her current problems. Tips were feeble at best, she collected the crumpled bills and change as the last of the days customers shuffled out the door. Her mind wandered as the silence of bar now gave her own thoughts clearance.

_I wonder if Bill is alive or dead...not that it matters...but I would like to know..._

She sighed, letting her body go through the motions of closing time, wiping down tables with a ragged and stained cloth. Her ponytail flipped as she looked out the window to take in the beautiful blend of purple and pink that was the impending dusk. Since it was Sunday night Merlottes closed early, and she would be able to enjoy a bit of light before the full moon came out. Sam gave her a look of concern from behind the bar, his hands making themselves busy by cleaning out beer mugs. He had obviously heard about the fire since word spreads around a small town very quickly. He had tried to corner her all day to talk about it, but she had purposely avoided his advances. Sam meant well...more then well actually, but she wasn't quite ready to fill him in on the details of last nights events, she hardly remembered much of them herself. With a the final salt and pepper shakers refilled Sookie removed her work apron and headed for the front door, giving Sam a reluctant wave as she turned to walk to her car.

The ride home was short, and hardly anyone was on the backwoods country roads. To look at her on the outside, she would look as calm as anyone on auto-pilot driving home, but her inner thoughts were frantic. Each worry would barely exclaim itself before being pushed aside by a new one.

_Where is Bill now? If he's alive, what if he comes after me again? ...Or after Jason or someone else I love?... _

A slightly less worrisome thought passed through...

_When is Eric coming?_

Pulling up into the driveway, she sat quietly in her car for a few moments and let the rumbling of the old engine vibrate her body. Eyes closed, she held back sudden tears that threatened to explode from her.

_It was all a lie...I was too blind to see it...he never loved me..._

She sniffled and was determined not to cry about him. Woefully plodding up the front steps, she took a glance behind her before going inside, the sky was now an ocean of soft grey and blue and it would surely be dark within a the next half hour. Though her entryway was free of evidence of her pain, it still shook her with fear and rage to be standing in it. Once more she could feel the memory of the cold wood against her back as her blood flowed around her in one thick sickening puddle. She had been moments from death, if a certain hand hadn't pulled her back to Earth. The thought stuck with her for a moment...that amidst the terror and agony of that night she had also felt hope... Erics uncharacteristically concerned faced flashed by her in a mental image, he was that hope...and her strength to come back to life. she remembered being cradled in his arms, where it was safe and warm, new but somehow familiar and comfortable.

_It's all so sudden...I know Eric has lust for me...but is he capable of caring? What if he knew what Bill was doing behind my back all along..._

The questions flowed through her brain for a few moments before she let them free, and her gaze drifted to the shimmering red box from this morning. The bow had been placed aside. and the package now sat atop a small iron table near the door. Picking it up with both hands she climbed the stairs towards her room and set the box back on her dresser. She gingerly opened it back up and after putting the pink note aside, unfolded the soft undergarments. There was no denying the set was beautiful and surely had been attached to a hefty price tag. She pictured Eric rifling through racks of lingerie in a pink-walled store and it made her want to giggle for a moment, the humor was a nice break from her post-traumatic stress.

_What should I wear over this?...Little black dress?...Jeans and a T-shirt?.._

She had never really worn anything but standard cotton panties and bras, and wasn't quite sure what wearing something as fancy as this meant. Did he expect her to greet him at the door in nothing but underwear? She blushed...

_I don't think so buddy!...He's lucky I'm even putting this on at all...I'm not exactly feeling frisky..._

She removed her work uniform with a sigh of relief and let the night air dance across her naked body for a moment. She undid her ponytail and shook out her hair, she felt a slight tickle as pieces brushed against her collarbone. She clasped the black velvet bra around her chest, it snapped together in the front, and cupped her breasts perfectly. The thin lace on the straps made her feel dainty and feminine despite the solid black color, she couldnt help but feel seductive as she admired how well it fit her...

_Gotta admit...he knows how to dress a woman...like he's measured me precisely, like it was made just for me..._

As she slid the panties up her bare legs, the coolness of the inner lining reminded her senses of the tips of Erics skilled fingers. A shiver rushed its way up through her core, and she shook it off with a pant. They fit snugly, and exposed most of her bottom, the sides were barely more then soft strings.

_Only one thing missing from this outfit..._

She gave the collar a skeptical stare, it sat at the bottom of the box, the metal D-ring polished and pristine. Picking it up, she wrapped it around her neck and struggled for a good while with the buckle. The collar was thick, and covered a good portion of her neck, but it was soft and pliable due to it being made of the same velvet. Once she felt it was secure enough, she gazed at herself in the full length mirror on her closed bathroom door-face. The intense ebony of the velvet made someone even as tan as herself look pale, but her strong legs and ample bust proved she was no waif. The collar was different...but oddly erotic, she ran her fingers across its soft plush and pulled slightly at the D-ring, it had no give whatsoever.

Sookie posed a few ways in the mirror, attempting to see herself in various angles, the bed behind her was perfectly made, and had a new red satin comforter she had purchased a few weeks back. She had thrown the ivory set Bill had nearly devoured her on straight into the trash before she left for work. She peered down at her feet, bare with pink-painted toenails and wondered what kind of shoes would "go" with her current ensemble. Slowly her head drifted back up to the mirror, and there he was...

He was perched at the end of her bed like a stalking predator and staring at her body with no regard to decency or false pretenses. His hair was tussled and lacking its usual product, the soft blond strands fell carelessly over the tops of his brows. He was clean shaven and the blues of his eyes were somehow even more striking then usual in mirrors reflection, they stood out above all else. She stared at him for what seemed like hours, their gazes locked as tightly in the mirror as if they were only inches away from one another. His posture and intense expression amazed her ... even though by every standard he looked exactly like a normal man, at the very same time any eyes could tell he also held within himself a dark and primal animal.

His low voice broke the silence, his stare unfaltering.

"Looks gorgeous..."

"Yes...thank you, it's very pretty..." she looked down at the bra, and though she knew full well he could see everything, but she couldn't help but cross her legs slightly and fold an arm over her chest.

"I wasn't talking about the clothes."

She felt her cheeks flush up again as she shifted her weight.

"Listen...Eric...I don't remember much of last night, but I want you to know that I'm thankful you saved me...more then you'll ever know."

"How thankful are you?" he arched a brow, his upper body leaning in just ever so slightly. Though he was still only a reflection, she could feel his presence behind her drawing closer.

"Comon, I'm serious...I've never been so scared in all my life...he was going to take everything from me...so I want you to know I'm grateful."

Eric gave a solemn nod at the seriousness of her statement, his eyes intently scanned her room before returning to meet hers again in the mirror, still facing her back. "I have a question to ask of you...when Bill drank from you, did he tell you of any ...complications?" his hand made a waving gesture with the last word before he became dead silent in anticipation of her answer.

"No, why? Complications?", her puzzled look confirmed to him that she had no idea.

"I find that I am...hearing things...specifically your voice...which allowed me passage into your home last night. Its quite puzzling...though I suspect whatever bloodline you carry when mixed with mine has formed some sort of internal connection... I don't know if the effects are permanent or not as of yet."

Sookies eyes widened and she turned around to face him in one quick spin, freezing afterwards to let the information sink in.

_He can hear me?_

Eric smirked with the tiniest glint of a sharp canine, fangs sheathed but his mere expression still giving off the distinct air of danger.

"Loud and clear min älskling."

Sookie was used to putting up a mental boundaries, this was true...but to wipe her mental palate clean? This was uncomfortable and foreign...

_Don't think about anything, he cant hear you if you just don't think about anything!..._

"On the contrary I can hear your aimless babble...and I must admit I suspect this new ability is going to be entertaining for other uses..."

"Bill couldn't hear me...or at least he never told me..why you?"

"I can't tell you for certain...but I do know we have a deeper connection than whatever you had with him, my lover...Compton was never fit to look at you, let alone touch you...taste you...", his eyes roamed her body, suddenly looking hungry and wanton ,"you and I...our paths were drawn together with purpose...not by chance."

"...You mean like soulmates?"

She gave off a sheepish smile, and let her hands fall down to her hips, holding herself as she watched him, "Mr. Northman your going soft..."

His eyes and tone now shot off annoyance...

"Firstly I don't have a 'soul'...ridiculous religious bullshit...secondly, I meant that ...that together we are a whole...you were made for me...and I for you"

He was obviously searching for the right words, English was nowhere near his first language, and to explain sentimental or deep concepts was especially hard. The angry look on his pale face dissipated and his voice tapered into a purr...

"..and third of all I am anything but soft..."

She stood with an unconvinced expression and repeated herself.

"Soulmates."

"...Fine, if you insist." Eric rolled his eyes while rifling through his pocket, still perched on the bed with unearthly balance.

"Enough chat min älskare...I ask you again, how thankful are you?"

Her confidence faded, he was coming on even faster then she expected, "...Very I suppose...what do you want?"

A grin grew across his lips and he commenced a painfully slow descent of his gaze down to her most private of areas, his eyes rested there. She twitched and her legs stirred, his stare wasn't breaking and she was starting to feel uneasy.

"I want you to touch yourself."

"What?"

He was silent, he looked back up at her face which was aghast with embarrassment.

She stammered and looked away from him,"...I don't do that!...I don't even really know how..."

"You simply do whatever comes natural to you...but there's no rush... first, come here my pet."

He patted his knee, beckoning her to come forward to him. Though he was intimidating in both size and in reputation he now looked playful and mischievous. His dark jeans were doing a poor job of concealing the fact that he was already excited by viewing her in the outfit of his choosing.

She snapped at him with abrupt insult... "Pet? Oh no...the collar is bad enough, but I'm no ones slave..."

"Insolence already? Correcting you will be most enjoyable...though your right, you're not a slave..."

In a blur she could still never quite get used to he was on her, his shoulders tilted so that he stared straight down upon her face. The soft cotton of his tank top pressed against her naked skin, his hard muscles beneath it tense and rigid.

"...**You want it**."

She was so used to pushing off his incredibly direct approaches that playing hard to get with him was second nature. However, with his body looming above her... and with the knowledge of his intimate prowess...she knew he was right. The collar suddenly began to make her neck feel warm and constricted, she longed to tug at it and loosen it, but it would surely give away the fact that she was getting hot and sweaty from his advances.

"Can't we take things a little bit slower this time Eric, maybe go out somewhere?"

"We have an eternity to do the mundane things you humans find so enjoyable...right now I am still interested in what I find enjoyable..."

She felt one of his hands begin to trace a line up her stomach, the other crept its way around her back and pulled her further into him. She gasped as his trailing hand slid between her breasts, skimming over them and eventually resting at the D-ring of her collar. He rubbed the cold metal between his fingertips, while the other hand dug into the small of her back. Leaning in, his hot breath smothered her neck and earlobe as he spoke.

"I can hear your thoughts, I can feel your desires...I know you wont refuse me...but I love that you pretend to try...my lover."

Her eyes shut, and suddenly her neck felt heavier, her eyelids reopened.

"Hey, what the...?" She looked into his face, now with a sadistic smile plastered across it and gave him questioning eyes.

Fingertips still in the flesh of her back and her waist still pressing to his, his right hand now gripped the end of a glimmering chain firmly attached to her collar. He rolled the length of it up into his palm, leaving her barely any room to squirm as he pulled her face up to his.

"You **will** do as I say, and I want you to touch yourself"

His words were stern and direct, sending warmth and tingling through her lower body, her legs suddenly felt weak. She had become a cat in heat, her body already begging her to comply, to begin towards the release she knew he would give her again...and again.

"Your filthy..." she breathed out heavily, her lips inches from his as his fingers continued to coil the chain tighter.

His tongue darted out, licking softly at her cheek, she could see his fangs beginning to descend.

"...And you love that."


End file.
